Posts tagged ‘poetry book’

January 2, 2014

January Second

by jhon baker

I miss being a regular smoker but the cost is simply too high – in dollars and lungs.

I didn’t post yesterday – the first first I’ve missed in a few years.

I had nothing to add to last years first – reference that if you like.

In trying to put together a coherent collection of poems for a possible book I’ve found it harder than anticipated.

In polishing the language of a non-native speaker in book form I’ve found that harder than anticipated as well.

I should be busy but I am not.

Playing trumpet takes little time per day but a lot of energy.

Constant and chronic pain takes the most energy.

as does fighting the mental crash I see coming.

The coffee is cooling too quickly and I find myself refilling more often for heat.

I have flowers dying on the kitchen table – in yellow hues turning brown – in whites turning yellow.

 

 

October 26, 2011

from the vaults

by jhon baker

thoughts on midnight and the secret hero in 8 versions

 

 

1.

piles of unpublished poetry

and I feel like Emily D.

except there is no song to these

 

2.

most of the verse written years

ago in a 3rd floor walk-up

an hour out from Chicago

when there was less between us

and moments were ours

without our knowledge or

at least without yours

 

3.

if this world was my will

or my idea – this

wouldn’t exist

and maybe never get written

 

even at 124 MPH across Colorado

before Denver

 

4.

these aren’t poems

nor one o’clock moments

of clarity

they are sleepless induced

narcotic psychotropic

overdoses

 

I casually wish I still drank

 

5.

right now

time is passing

but not without memory

and as I cannot say it is painful

you cannot call it hospitable either

 

6.

secret hero of my poetry

where have you gone

what have you been thinking

 

I cannot question now

as I cannot cope with the answer

 

7.

X XX

some kind of monster

and I cannot even look in the mirror

around corners

or close my eyes

 

8.

this is not a poor film

tho we all wish it were

 

–        10/21/2008 nearing 1 am

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March 27, 2011

by jhon baker

Two new links – I hope they both work – one, on the left, to follow by e-mail and the other – on the right, to buy my book from me directly, sometimes cheaper and always signed.

edit: the button for the book works! Thank you to Kevin Shear for being my Guinea pig on that one.
Still waiting to hear if the e-mail button works.

September 20, 2010

unencumbered

by jhon baker

this is for my friend Troy, heal fast my brother.

also an excerpt from my book…

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unencumbered
I am unencumbered by two inches
            of my right leg
just as Jerry Garcia was unencumbered
            by a middle finger
and Indian Larry by his pinkie
I am unencumbered by thought or want
            from the single life of chasing
            the girls and boys around
not unlike how death rattles free
            our common concerns
 – Hoc Scripsi
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September 18, 2010

Book Release

by jhon baker

inviting a few hundred people to my home on Oct 9th… holy babies bathwater, If I forgot to invite anyone that is around the northern Illinois area let me know and I will amend asap.
It is going to be like an open house as I am not sure that I can cram them all into my house at once without risking smaller peoples being crushed, on the other hand I do not believe that the majority will come, they never do.


selection from the book.

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this is a dislocation
this is a
dislocation
a skillful assemblage of
etceteras and
etceteras
a cycle of soul drummers
and southern chicken sacrifices at
the front gate of Graceland
a loose impersonation of self
overlooking and
never sighting self
Our culture is jazz, blues
and poor elocution
a fragility of coffee house
poets and the war
machine
all
together-colored and successfully
uncollected disaffected ice cream eaters
 – Hoc Scripsi
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